The Locked Door

Note: Hello, this is my first time posting to a prompt and I'd love some feedback. :) English is not my first language, so if you spot anything weird I'd love to learn how to make it better. Thank you.

Aurelie hopped along the gallant red and purple patterned carpet, playing her favourite game. The thick, grey castle walls were painted in the flickering light of torches mounted in steel holders, shaped like the snarling fangs of tiny dragons. She stopped by a set of heavy wooden doors. One had cracked open and warm light flooded out into the corridor. The sun had to be shining through the large decorative windows into the throne room behind. She wanted to see (the dust dancing in the light rays always fascinated her), but she could also hear voices. She was not supposed to listen, so she very carefully inched forward and peeked inside. Her father, crown adorning his full hair, had his chin laid heavily into his hand, his elbow resting on the armrests of his thrown. His brows where furrowed. Next to him sat the queen, looking beautifully elegant, but troubled all the same.

"And thus, my lord", continued the advisor, who was standing at the foot of the steps leading up to the king, "We fear the famine and drought will even worsen. The dragons have laid Crockfort valley to ashes and folk there are revolting against their local sovereigns. Lord Ir of Dengen has send urgent request for military aid, as the mob is besieging his castle. Meanwhile, wyverns have been spotted North."

The king muttered something under his breath to his wife and the queen nodded. But as Aurelie leaned in to hear, one of the guards behind the door spotted her and shooed her away.

Aurelie went into the garden. She didn't understand much of the politics her parents were involved in. She just knew that the kingdom was at war right now. A war with dragons - and that was why none of her parents ever had time for her recently. She actually liked the dragons in her picture book a lot. They were coloured and they seemed to shimmer in the light. She wondered how beautiful their scales had to shine in reality. She wished she could see it. But once she had expressed so, her nursemaid had gotten very wide, fearsome eyes, and told her to hush. She had then said that all dragons had an innate desire to consume men, women and especially children ("with skin and bones whole, princess!") and that even admiring them in theory, could lead to one finding her in her bed chamber. Aurelie had shuddered at the idea, but nevertheless, just as with the snarling torch holders, she still found the pictures all so pretty. Pretty like the roses that bloomed in the garden and of which she now carefully stole a few petals to hide in her pouch. After, she sat on a bench and looked up into the sky. The sun was shining and the swifts screamed as always from the highest castle tower. Nothing betrayed that a hundred miles away, brave knights on even braver horses galloped over burned and rocky fields to slay mighty, roaring dragons. And, emerging victorious, collecting a shimmering scale from each slain, to bring home as proof of their bravery. At least, that was how Aurelie imagined it. Oh, how she wished, someone would bring her a scale. A red one, at best.

Aurelie gave her favourite guard at the main gate a high five and strutted lady-like through the entrance hall where most of the servants were busy bustling about. Some looked her direction and she pulled up her nose and straightened her back, holding up her red dress, as she had seen her mother do it. She walked like this to the top of the entrance stairs, before quickly slinking around the banister and disappearing down another corridor. The servants shook their heads as they watched after her. The princess sure was a strange child even with her seven years of age.

On the third floor of the second western tower, Aurelie moved a decorative, wooden wardrobe out of the way. Behind it, just about the height of her eyes, was a door. A small, withered, forgotten door, built into the wall. There was no room to be accessed from the other side. As always, Aurelie tried turning the faded, metal knob, and as always, the door stayed shut. She knelt down and took some of the rose petals out of her pouch. Carefully, she laid them out before the small gap, that was beneath the wood. One by one, she pushed the rose petals through the gap to the other side. Only one she let stick out a little, for later. After that, Aurelie moved the wardrobe back to its original place.

The next day, she returned and checked on the door again. It was locked like before, but the last rose petal, which had been showing below the gap, had disappeared, as it did every time. Aurelie smiled happily and laid out new petals as before. She was about to move the wardrobe again, when she heard a noise coming from the other side. She had never heard a noise before. Hastily, she laid down onto the floor, not caring for the dust covering her dress, and tried to see something through the crack. Though there was only darkness, she heard a light scratching and huffing. With her heart hammering from excitement, she sat up and laid her mouth to the small keyhole.

"Hello?" she whispered, worried a servant might come by outside and hear her.

The noises stopped.

"You don't have to be afraid", Aurelie whispered excitedly. "I'm Aurelie. What is your name?"

She thought she heard voices. Not one, but many. At least four of them. They whispered to each other hastily, almost as if they were in a panic. But she couldn't understand the words. She wasn't even sure, if she knew the language.

Finally, somebody cleared their throat and a friendly, yet lightly scratchy voice sounded muffled through the door.

"Hello, Aurelie. My name is Tikam."

"Hello, Tikam", Aurelie answered excitedly. She had to restrain herself from being too loud. "How did you get past the door? Do you have a key?"

"I didn't open the door", came the answer. It sounded almost a little disappointed. "I had hoped you may have it."

Aurelie sighed. "Sadly not. I have tried to get this door open for months! The only thing I've been noticing are my petals disappearing. Where you the one taking them?"

"Petals?" Tikam sounded complexed and there was whispering again. "Yes! Yeees, that was me. I mean us", came his voice hastily. "We were wondering who'd gifted them. Thank you. They are very pretty."

"You are most welcome! I knew someone was taking them!" Aurelie would have jumped for joy, had she not been kneeing in the dust on the cold, hard floor. "I'm sorry, I don't have a key, but I could ask some of the servants to break-"

"No!" cried Tikam and it sounded panicked. "No, you cannot tell anyone you heard us, Aurelie, please!"

"Why?"

Again, there was whispering before an answer came.

"We must not be seen."

"Why not?" Aurelie was disappointed. She wanted to know who the voices belonged to. Were they small helpers perhaps, like gnomes or tomte, her books told about?

"If adults see us, we disappear! Forever!"

"Oh", made Aurelie. "I understand then."

"But", Tikam made a long pause, "we could use your help."

Aurelie laid her hands against the wooden door and tried to peek through the keyhole, desperate to see something, some outline perhaps. But there was only darkness. Maybe whoever was behind was blocking the hole?

"How can I help?" she asked, eagerly.

"Your father is the king, yes?"

"Yes! And my mother is the queen!"

"Good, good. We believe you. There is something we require. A piece of paper. Nothing your parents will miss, I'm sure, but to us, it is very important."

"A piece of paper?" Aurelie repeated somewhat astounded.

"Yes, yes", Tikam said eagerly. "I'm sure you can find it among many others in the king's study chambers. It should bare a special seal. A blue one, with the symbol of a six-fingered claw! Can you count to six?"

"Of course I can!" said Aurelie, somewhat insulted, "I can count much higher than that!"

"I am sure you can. You seem to be very clever! Now then, do you think you can find that paper?"

"Well", she hesitated, "I am not supposed to go into father's study. And I am not allowed to touch any of the books or folders there."

"But this is very important!" whined Tikam, "Our existence depends on it!"

"Your existence?"

"Yes, our existence! Without it, we will all … disappear! We need to bring that…that document to our…sorceress, so she can protect us!"

"A what?"

"A sorceress works magic."

"But I thought magic wasn't real."

"Of course it is!" said Tikam hastily and a bit impatient and added: "Your father can't know, he won't believe you. You are our only hope, Princess Aurelie!"

 Aurelie thought about it. But not for long. These… people needed her help! And she was bored out of her mind, recently.

"Alright, I'll do it!"

"Hooray!" came a few voices from behind the door.

"Shh, not so loud!" Aurelie fearfully looked to the main door. "I'll have to try tonight, when everyone's sleeping."

"Understood. We will wait here for you. Good luck, your highness."

Aurelie chuckled.

"I am not a queen."

"Oh, but you will make a wise and brave queen one day", Tikam purred. Aurelie blushed a little and chuckled.

"I better go now. See you soon!"

Aurelie wasn't unfamiliar with sneaking through the castle at night. Like many things, she made a game out of it whenever she was bored or couldn't fall asleep. None of the guards noticed when she sneaked into her father's study and snatched the parchment with a bright cyan seal off his table. After that, she returned to the locked door in the western tower and knocked.

"Hello? Are you there? It's Aurelie!"

"Hello, Aurelie, welcome back", whispered Tikam's voice as before. "Do you have it?"

"Yes."

Carefully, Aurelie enrolled the parchment and nestled it into the dark gap.

"Aah", Tikam sounded a big sigh of relief. "Wonderful. This is it! Thank you so much, Aurelie."

"Can I see you now? I helped you", she asked hopefully.

"Yes. In fact, we talked to our queen, princess. She would like to thank you personally for your kind and courageous act."

"That-", Aurelie stopped herself from squealing from excitement and thought for a moment to find a more princess-like reply. "It would be a great honour to serve as an ambassador for my kingdom."

Tikam replied just as respectfully:

"I'd be just as honoured to lead you to our great and noble queen."

"But how?" wondered Aurelie and her excitement wavered a little. "The door is still shut."

As answer came a loud and ugly sounding 'Crack' from the area of the tiny door's keyhole. It echoed throughout the room and into the tower corridors. Then, the door slowly swung open and Aurelie could see the people behind. They weren't gnomes. Or tomtes. They weren't even that human-shaped. Or, almost dragons. They were small and stood upright on their hindlegs, their tiny hands with five delicate fingers held up in a gesture of respect. Tiny scales covered their bodies from the tip of their pointy snouts down to the tip of their pointy tails. They didn't have wings. Aurelie stared at them with an open mouth. Tikam stepped forwards. A friendly smile played around short, somewhat pointy teeth.

"You look surprised, princess. Do not be afraid, we won't harm you."

"No, I didn't think you would", Aurelie finally managed to close her mouth. She looked Tikam up and down. "You look different than the dragons in my picture book."

Tikam laughed brightly.

"We are not Rînn, royal dragons."

"Royal? But you said you had a queen!"

"We are Dalcri. We are the fine-fingered ones who weave and work delicate things that the Rînn can't do." He laughed, somewhat mischievous this time. "Because their paws are too big."

"Oh, I had wondered about that." Aurelie inched closer to look at the delicate light-grey scales on Tikam's back. Every single one was so much smaller than her pinkie's nail and in the moonlight, that fell through the room's high windows behind her, each scale seemed to shimmer at the edges ever so slightly with the colours of a rainbow. Tikam didn't seem to mind how she gawked at him. His companions looked quite similar to him, but varying slightly in size, shape and shading. There were four of them and they kept in the background. Only now did Aurelie realize what was behind them. It was a mirror. But not just any mirror. It's glass had frost growing on the edges, even though it was relatively warm in here, and in the centre, instead of seeing a reflection, there was an ever turning whirlpool of blue light.

"What is that?" she whispered in awe.

"Our way back", Tikam smiled. "Are you coming? Our queen will be waiting for you."

"Is she like you?"

"No", Tikam said respectfully, "Our queen is the Ruler of all Northern Wyverns, the Red Winged, the Rulers of the Sunset Skies, the Shári."

Aurelie nodded, somewhat hypnotized and, tugging in her head, she slowly walked into the small corridor behind the wall. The Dalcri moved aside to let her through. Just before she touched the swirling surface of the magic mirror, she hesitated. Ruler of the Sunset Skies. Would she be back before morning so nobody would notice? She shook her head. She would meet a real dragon! Well, almost, a wyvern, but she didn't mind. Would she get one of her scales? Was that something she could ask for? Maybe if she asked really nicely. Aurelie took a deep breath and stepped through the mirror portal. Her neck-long, red hair swirled up as if she'd dived into water, and then she was gone.

As king and queen sat down for their breakfast in the morning, nothing could have prepared them for the nursemaid running in, screaming and crying and waving a thick parchment bearing a bright red seal. As she fell to her knees before the king's chair, she handed the letter to him, rambling wildly. She hadn't found Aurelie in her bed this morning. Knowing the child was likely to have wandered off as usual, she had searched for her, only to find a tiny, locked door and before it, the letter. The king read it out loud to his queen, who had set down her tea cup with shaking hands. After he was done, the king sank back into his chair and ordered his advisors and head guards to be assembled. He also send a messenger to take the fastest horse in the royal stables and ride north, while flying a white flag as a sign of peace. The letter, soon forgotten on the royal table, read the following:

"To the venerable and excellent Leovid Foltest, King of the Amid Mankin, Ruler of Tigeron;

And beautiful and wise Queen Iselore,

As a mother, it grieves me what pain of worry I must inflict on you. I myself am a mother who loves her children. However, as times are, I saw no other choice with the opportunity I was given. But rest assured that your daughter is safe and will find no harm in my kingdom. I have only my most trusted servants and advisors entertaining her during her visit. This is not a threat, but we are a small country and I require your undivided attention. Especially since our messenger to you died by human archers, and I will graciously rule it as a tragic mistake as he was taken for kin of the attacking Shâé. My mages discovered a gate to your castle, a portal born of old magic. It took our sorceress much time and work to make it stable enough to travel through. Your daughter discovered the door that lead to it and placed flowers each day, for she noticed them disappearing over time. This was due to the portal's magic gravity. Do not search for the gate, as it has since been closed. Once our sorceress stabilized the portal, it took little to persuade the child to find the letter, King Rau of the Blue Wings had send to you. His war declaration, in which he manically foretold, all kingdoms of dragons would stand by him to wipe out humankind, his accusations of crimes committed by you, dear King, you read it all. However, this declaration was forged. As were other letters sent to draconic kingdoms. Regretfully, many are eager and fiery at heart and send their armies to battle without first seeking council with the other Rînn rulers, such as myself. Thus, the war began. We must stop this madness! I had speculated, but now I have proof with the original document that your daughter provided us. It bore the seal of King Rau, but lacked his signature. A clear sign it was indeed forged. He himself insists he received a sign of war from you, which I am sure you did not send. Let us break the net of lies that was spun, unmask the traitor and reunite our kingdoms once more. Will you help me bring peace back to our lands? Your people suffer with drought and war, while our fields lay yet lush. I promise you aid, once the battles are done and the other kingdoms have been brought to reason. If you can see my reasoning, send a messenger to Volaria and your daughter will soon be returned to you.

May the wind bring favour to your deeds,

Queen Issopaya, Ruler of all Northern Wyverns, the Red Winged, the Rulers of the Sunset Skies, the Shári